It’s a few more hours until the end of another year and also the end of the first decade of the 21st century. I guess I should take the time to say something about the last 10 years.
So here is is. Something!
Have a happy and prosperous 2010.
Year: 2009
Snow Daze
We get maybe one “real” snow storm here (38.8905, -77.2702) per year and it usually happens in January. And it is typically the result of a Nor’easter rather than storms coming from the West. This year the Nor’easter came early!
The first substantial snowfall of this fall/winter season started around 9:00 PM last night and is still going strong. There was about eight inches of snow when this picture was taken today at 9:57 AM. The snow is expected to continue falling throughout the day with a total accumulation of 20 or more inches predicted. 
This picture was taken today at 3:14 PM. At that time, there was about 18 inches of snow on the ground. And the snow was still falling at a pretty good clip. The snow finally stopped falling around 11:30 PM. At that time, there was about two feet (24 inches) on the ground in the immediate area. 
I took this picture during one of my numerous shoveling attempts to keep the driveway and front walk passable. I finally gave up after a while and decided to wait until it stopped snowing.
Gunston is exploring a path I dug to get from back yard to the front of the house. He’s probably deciding where to make “yellow snow.” 
The big pile of snow is from a path I cleared on the deck so the dogs could get in and out of their doggie door. Pearl Harbor Day
The United States entry into WWII started 68 years ago today with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
The Reconstruction
A month or so ago, I made a blog entry about the water damage to our basement bathroom and the collateral damage incurred during the plumbing repairs. I’m now happy to report that the collateral damage has been repaired and that our homeowner’s insurance did indeed cover over 90% of the cost of the repairs.
The hole in the bathroom wall is now gone and new vanity lights, a new medicine cabinet (behind mirror), sink and vanity have been installed. The bathroom walls and ceiling have been repainted and the old ceiling fan/light has been replaced.
The outer wall has been repaired and repainted. Note that this time an access panel has been installed to provide access to the drain system without having to cut through the wall.
Don’t Forget
Today is the eighth anniversary of the September 11th Attacks. As I sit here composing this post, it brings back vivid memories of that day. And a reminder that our military is still fighting two wars related to the events of that day. One can endlessly debate the pros and cons of our involvement in these wars, but we all need to remember the sacrifices our military folks are making on behalf of their country. Next time you see a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine, give them a big "Thank You." Or if you are the shy type, at least a smile!
Never Forget!
Water, Water, Everywhere
Three very expensive visits by a plumber have resulted in fixing multiple failures in the water supply and drainage system of the bathroom in our basement.
The first problem was a pinhole leak in the cold water supply to the sink. Of course the supply line ran behind the wall so this "repair" resulted collateral damage to the wall. The section of pipe with the pinhole leak has been cut out and replaced.
The second problem was a leaky shut-off valve in the cold water supply. The valve has been replaced as has the sink’s faucet and all associated plumbing.
The third problem was a leak in the sink drain-pipe. You can’t see it in this picture, but when water is running down the sink drain, there is a slow leak dripping down behind the wall.
The plumber had to cut a hole in the outer wall of the bathroom to fix multiple leaks found in the sink drain.I wonder what the odds are for multiple concurrent failures in the same "subsystem" of a house’s plumbing? It almost seems like these were carefully planned premeditated events! Or maybe part of a government initiative to stimulate the economy by increasing the demand for plumbing services, i.e., the plumbing industry’s equivalent of the current government-funded "Cash for Clunkers" program for the automotive industry.
Next up is a visit by my homeowner insurance company’s claims adjuster. I bet that will be a fun time.